Criminal case against former Judge Murphy may be resolved soon

LAS CRUCES — The felony bribery case against former District Court Judge Michael Murphy is nearing its end, his attorney said Thursday.

Refusing to call it a plea agreement, Murphy's attorney Michael Stout said, "a resolution has been reached that is satisfactory to Mr. Murphy."

Stout added that he would divulge more details in the coming days, but was unable to Thursday because he is on vacation away from the office.

Matt Chandler, the special prosecutor appointed to the case, did not return messages from the Sun-News seeking comment. Chandler serves as the district attorney in Clovis.

A grand jury in 2011 charged Murphy with felony bribery, solicitation and witness intimidation after allegedly telling an attorney she had to pay a prominent and politically connected businessman a fee to be appointed judge by then-Gov. Bill Richardson.

Murphy pleaded not guilty to the charges.

According to the calendar on the New Mexico Courts website, a change of plea hearing in the case is scheduled for April 18 before 3rd Judicial District Judge Leslie C. Smith.

In a motion filed March 11 to extend paperwork deadlines, Stout said "parties are attempting to resolve this case."

A trial is scheduled May 16.

Last February, Murphy resigned from the bench after the state's Judicial Standards Commission opened an unrelated investigation into "offensive" or "derogatory" comments he made about homosexuals in a recorded conversation with openly gay District Judge Lisa Schultz.

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At the time, Murphy said his resignation was not an "admission of wrongdoing," but a result of being unable to defend himself in the criminal case and in the Judicials Standards Commission investigation. In a settlement, the commission agreed to drop the investigation if Murphy agreed never to seek or hold another judgeship.

Wednesday afternoon in Santa Fe's 1st Judicial District Court, Schultz filed a civil suit against the state, alleging workplace retaliation and other violations of the Whistleblower Protection Act, stemming from her role in Murphy's case.

In the suit, Schultz claims 3rd Judicial District judges and court personnel threatened her, harassed her and schemed to make her physically uncomfortable in a systematic and coordinated effort to oust her from the bench. That all happened, the suit states, after she confronted Murphy about his alleged transgressions.

Schultz asked the court, in the lawsuit filed by Albuquerque attorney Bryan J. Davis, for damages and legal fees, but didn't specify a dollar amount.

James Staley may be reached at 575-541-5476. Follow him on Twitter @auguststaley